


Tidings and Good Cheer

by peoriapeoria



Category: Wilby Wonderful (2004)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-27
Updated: 2011-06-27
Packaged: 2017-10-20 18:47:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/215969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peoriapeoria/pseuds/peoriapeoria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little Carol and Buddy schmoop, ensemble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tidings and Good Cheer

Carol slipped on her blouse, anxious, hoping the best for her little party. It wasn't exactly a party. Friends over. It was the first party she'd hostessed here; the first since the Fishers at the old house, the one she was sure would move come spring and the return of tourists.

"We could turn off the lights, pretend we aren't home." Buddy cupped her ribs, swaying behind, looking both down over her shoulder and at their reflection.

It was tempting. "They'd just come in anyway." She turned and kissed her husband, smiling as he buttoned her up. She broke from him, looking him over.

"Pass muster?"

"Buddy French, you are"

 _Ding Dong, Ding Dong_

"Saved by the bell." He switched smiles from leer to pasted on, hurrying down the stairs.

"Ginny! Let me take your coat." She was his cousin in some complicated way, and a good ten years his senior. Maybe more; at five he'd idolized her. He looked out for her kids.

"Not tonight. Wow, this looks good, how was getting the wallpaper off?"

Carol got the door before the bell sounded. "Dan, Sandra. Where's Duck?"

"He'll be round later. The decorations were in a state from last year."

Sandra hung up her coat and looked around. She'd never been someone Mrs. French would let into her home. Buddy was one of the few boys that didn't sneak girls in that their mothers' didn't approve of. "Duck do all of this?"

"Ginny?" Buddy caught the look on her face.

"It just looks so much better than Mrs. Corkum's."

"Not hardware paint." Carol didn't dislike Mrs. Corkum, exactly. She was too much like Buddy's mother, willing to find fault but not own up to her own.

"Dan, this is Ginny. Don't believe anything she says."

"Suppose I should laud your many virtues now." She latched onto Dan's arm, guiding him through much changed rooms.

Sandra and Carol both considered if they should be concerned. They both startled at the knock.

"Stan, come on in." Buddy wanted to move them in from the foyer.

"Not going to stay long, patrol. Thought I might get some hot cider, though?"

"Take off your coat. Come on, with the squad out front I think we can go into the parlor." The tree wasn't up, it was much too early for that, but the rest of the room was done up, just missing the greenery.

Mackenzie and Emily appeared next with a boy in tow. "This is Stuart, hope it's okay, Mrs. French?" He smiled shyly.

"Pleased to meet you." She addressed them and the adults passingly, "There are refreshments in the dining room."

Slowly more people arrived, some of them stopping in on the way to other homes, more settling in. Impromptu games broke out, cards and charades. Duck appeared, in a different western yoked shirt, and rescued Dan from Ginny.

"Buddy, is it okay for me to show Guin your pantry?"

Buddy mouthed 'long story' to Carol, "Yes, Duck, that's fine." He had the skeleton key for their bedroom in his pocket. He'd booby trapped the upstairs medicine cabinet with smarties. The downstairs one was stocked with aspirin and so forth.

He went into the dining room seeing Carol heading there. "Any help you need?"

"Everything still looks good." The platters didn't attain perfection, but nothing had run out or too low. No bottles to worry about and the mulled cider was still warm in its carafe. How?

Sandra popped in. "I topped it up in the kitchen. It's good."

"Thanks."

"I better head out with Emily, school night. Thanks for inviting us."

The party broke up naturally, the last friends asking if they could help clean up. Carol allowed that bringing things into the kitchen would be great. She let Dan reach down some storage containers and shooed him away after making him take a few 'orphan' tidbits.

Buddy chuckled as he came in. "Just Dan and Duck." He slipped behind his wife, feeding her one of the cracker cheese things. "We're alone." Door was locked. Hopefully the Island could avoid doing any misdeeds beyond Stan's powers. He made quick work of packing away the leftovers. "Can I help you with that shirt?"

"In our room." She sprinted for the stairs.

Buddy chased after her.


End file.
